3D Printing Glass with Vitraglyphic Processing
We have done quite a few features on three-dimensional printing over the past few months, from do-it-yourself 3D printers to printers with the ability to print 3D ceramic objects. Innovation for this technology is far from being over, though. Development for more materials to print 3D objects out of is currently being done. One of the latest breakthroughs is the ability to 3D-print glass objects.
The discovery was made by artists and engineers from the University of Washington, using a technique called Vitraglyphic processing. It is reportedly an improvement over the process created by the same team that allowed the three-dimensional printing of ceramic objects. The turning point for the team is finding just the right ratio of binding solution to glass powder, thereby giving rise to the ability to generate a fused object once the combination is heated to the right temperature.
3D printing and all its various innovations is not yet mainstream, and it will be very interesting to follow exactly where this technology is headed. At this time, it looks like its niche is in rapid prototyping, and it is finding significant applications in varied fields, such as engineering, architecture, visual arts and medicine. With such a wide possibility of applications, we may yet see a clamor for 3D printing technology and slowly see it become a must-have in every learning institution and industry; maybe even in homes for personal use.
Right now, its uses are practical and have become an important part of innovation. In the case of education, it has provided students of architecture and engineering an easier way of generating scaled-down models of their designs. Manufacturers have used 3D printing as a more efficient way of generating prototypes of new design.
With such a young technology, the possibilities are going to be endless. We will wait and see where the 3D revolution will go in the months and years to come.
Tags: 3D image, 3d printer, 3D printing, 3D prints, 3D technologyRelated posts
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Loading ...Posted by PrintFriendly on October 10th, 2009
